September 26th, 2014
September 26th, 2014
Dear Mr. Marin,
I am writing to request that you conduct an investigation into the practice and protocols of commercial vehicle safety blitzes involving the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), Ontario Ministries of Transportation and Environment, OPP and any other traffic safety agencies.
As you are aware, on August 14th between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. the CBSA, government ministries and the OPP jointly conducted a series of commercial vehicle safety blitzes in northwest Toronto that resulted in 21 individuals being detained and a number of them deported.
This incident is very disturbing, and the Premier has yet to explain what role her government played in these arrests. We are told that an internal investigation by the Ministry of Transportation into the incident is being conducted; however I feel that a Ministry investigating itself is insufficient. This investigation merits a review by an independent body.
The review should include:
Mr. Marin, I believe it’s important to get to the bottom of what happened on August 14th , and more importantly if this is a long-standing practice amongst these agencies.
We must work together to ensure that Ontarians feel safe and are not discriminated against based on their immigration status. Any potential violation of individuals’ rights should not be taken lightly and deserve the utmost scrutiny. This is a very serious matter of breach of public trust, community safety, and confidence in our government and police force.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance.
Sincerely,
(original signed)
Teresa Armstrong
MPP London Fanshawe
NDP Critic Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade